This invention relates generally to apparatus for unclogging a gutter downspout of debris, and more particularly to such an apparatus which is water-powered and automatically actuated when the mouth of the gutter downspout becomes clogged.
Most homes and other buildings have roofs which are pitched or sloped to prevent the accumulation of water on the roof. In order to prevent the rain water which runs off a pitched roof from seeping in and around the foundation of the building, a gutter is generally mounted just under the terminal edge or eaves of the roof to catch the water and downspouts lead it away from the foundation of the house.
Over the course of time, the gutters tend to accumulate debris, such as leaves, twigs and other solid debris which are deposited in the gutter either by the action of water running off the roof, or by the wind. A major portion of the debris usually accumulates at the mouth of the downspout thereby blocking the flow of water from the gutter and causing the water to spill over and accumulate at the foundation of the building. Once this occurs it is normally necessary to climb a ladder up to the gutter and manually remove the debris from the gutter and particularly around the mouth of the downspout. With multiple-story buildings this technique is not only troublesome and inconvenient, but also quite dangerous.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,319,851, 4,363,335, 4,241,547, 4,014,074, 3,638,369 and 3,157,002 all of which disclose gutter cleaning devices generally in the field of this invention.